Show Time
by writergirl2003
Summary: They both knew they shouldn't feel this way, but the attraction they had was undeniable. CornyAmber.
1. Corny

Hi! Thanks to everyone who reviewed my first Hairspray fic, _Wishes Can't Change the World_, you rock! I don't know how you guys feel about the couple in this story, but ever since I heard of the idea of them together, I couldn't get it out of my head. I hope you like. I also hope it isn't too weird. Anyway, please read and review, that's why I keep writing!!

Of course I don't own Hairspray or its characters. Too bad.

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He watched her as she stood in front of him, her blonde hair bouncing with each step she took. He wanted to reach out and touch her, but knew that he shouldn't; he couldn't. He wanted to speak to her in private, and knew that it was against the rules. He shouldn't even be thinking of her in this way, but he couldn't help it.

It wasn't an unhealthy obsession he had for her; he knew it was deeper, but couldn't bear to speak the words or take any action that he knew would change his life forever. He'd lose his job; Hell, he'd be blackballed by every station in Baltimore and possibly Maryland. God knew that if he got on the bad side of Velma Von Tussel, no one would want to be associated with him. She was a powerful ally, and a terrifying enemy. He would deny it to her face, but she intimidated him, and the idea of her finding out what he'd been thinking lately would surely seal his fate.

But, that was hard to care about when he saw the blonde girl every day after school. He would give anything to speak to her, and to have her touch his arm flirtatiously the way she did Link's, but he knew it wasn't possible. It would be considered odd, even disgusting, to most people. But, God, he was only a few years older than her, and she didn't seem to mind the fact that men ogled her like lemonade on a hot summer day. He knew that her relationship with Link wasn't all that it seemed, and while they smiled and held each other on camera, they didn't associate with each other in the backstage area.

He would make every excuse he could think of to see her; he needed to go over a change in the dance with her, wanted to tell her the latest on the Miss Teenage Hairspray pageant. She would watch him with those cold, blue eyes but never saw what he wanted her to see. Never heard the words he wanted her to hear.

It hadn't always been this way. For the first year she'd been on the show, she'd been just another kid, and he'd treated her like all the others. But then, right around the time she turned seventeen, something about her had changed. Her chest started to look bigger, her waist smaller. Her hips swished from side to side when she walked, and danced, and though she wasn't the best dancer on the show, something about her made him stop and watch.

He shifted in his chair, the make-up artist dabbing at his face with a sponge to even out his complexion. He watched from the corner of his eye as one of the other council boys made their way over to her, speaking to her in such a manner that, even from far away, his flirting was obvious. He felt a knot in his stomach. Those boys couldn't make her happy. They'd just as soon play football with their friends as make her feel special. She needed someone who knew how to take care of her, and they couldn't do it. They didn't want to. All they wanted was to have her as their arm candy, and it wasn't right. It bothered him that they thought of her as just another girl, not anyone particularly special. It bothered him that they lied to her through their teeth; none of whose were as perfect as his own, and that she couldn't see the truth. Or maybe that she _did_ know the truth, and just didn't care.

He closed his eyes, trying to get her mind out of his face before the show started. He couldn't think of her on the air, because then he'd want to look at her, and then Velma would see. If she saw, she would surely confront him on it. Tact wasn't one of her strong points.

Even with his eyes closed, he recreated her face in his mind. He had looked at her enough to memorize the way she sucked her cheeks in slightly when she was angry or upset. He knew that her eyes expressed exactly what she was feeling, and that when she got mad she tended to pout like a child. He found it adorable, and yet, that fire in her eyes was completely irresistible to him. He wanted to kiss her, to touch her like she deserved to be touched, and yet…he could barely speak to her.

He heard the buzzer sound and knew that it was almost time to start the show. He stood from the chair, the heels of his dress shoes clicking as he walked across the soundstage. He smiled reassuringly at the rest of his council, nodding encouragingly at them as they readied themselves in their designated positions. The hiss of the aerosol cans of hairspray was deafening in the air as he stopped before a mirror, pushing a hand through his hair. He studied his reflection, and decided that he looked fine. He turned to walk to the stage, and bumped into someone who was standing less than two feet behind him.

He put his hand up to steady himself, and realized that it was her. She smiled apologetically at him.

"Sorry, Corny. Didn't see you there." Something in her eyes told him that she had.

"It's okay, Amber. Ready for the show?" He found it hard to breathe around her, and could barely believe she was actually this close to him. Her hand touched his arm, and he felt the fire beginning to ignite inside of him.

"I'm ready for anything." She grinned at him, and he wondered for a moment if there was any way she could have discovered his feelings. He'd kept his thoughts so private. He hadn't spoken them to anyone, and he was sure he hadn't been overly showy with his glances at her. He was always very careful about that. She brushed past him then, her long, flowing skirt grazing his fingertips and sending sparks through his body. He watched her as she walked, and knew that he should look away. This wasn't right. He shouldn't be feeling this way about a girl who was technically off-limits. He tried to divert his eyes, but couldn't stop watching the soft swing in her hips as she moved.

It wasn't more than a second later that she turned around, their eyes connecting again. Her eyes appraised his body, and she winked. He felt the blush of attraction creep into his cheeks, and then heard the stage manager call his name. It was show time.


	2. Amber

**I wasn't planning on even continuing this story, it was a one-shot, but I decided that I really liked the controversy it was causing (and the awesome reviews you guys were submitting) and I really love the couple, despite what anyone else may think. So, this is the end of this story, but I'll write another soon if you guys like!! Thanks so much for reviewing!!**

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She made each step precise, and exact. She tried not to make the same stupid mistakes she always made, and watched her own footwork impeccably. She never felt like she quite matched any of the other girls, though she'd never speak those words aloud. The reputation she had built for herself was one that couldn't be broken down unless she herself faltered, and she wasn't planning on doing that any time soon.

She made it through the new dance they were introducing that week, and cut to commercial. The girls around her scattered in every different direction, their heels clicking as they went. She stood her position on the floor, and watched Link approach her from the corner of her eye.

"Hey," he greeted her, smiling slightly. He was a little out of breath, and stood next to her dutifully, her eyes pretending to focus on him and actually gazing at the man who stood a few yards behind him. He pulled at his tie, loosening it just a little around his neck, and left it hanging. She heard Link speaking, but was too far away from the situation to recognize any of the words he said. He spun around quickly, the soles of his black shoes making a smooth sound as he did so.

"What are you looking at, Amber?" She heard that question, and hurriedly turned her eyes to him. She couldn't detect the emotion in his face or voice. It wasn't jealousy, that was for sure. He had no reason to be jealous over her. It wasn't like they had ever actually agreed to be serious with each other. It was more of a show for the cameras than anything else, and once they stopped rolling, she and Link stopped pretending to care.

"I'm not looking at anything." It was stupid, she knew, but she couldn't tell the truth. If he found out she'd been watching Corny, the secret would be out. He'd tell his friends, and they'd tell theirs. The whole school would know, and it would damage her reputation. Corny would find out, and would see her as just another kid; too stupid and foolish to be taken seriously. Her mother would find out, and probably replace Corny with a different host, and if that happened, Amber would feel infinitely guilty.

Link gave her a strange look, but nodded and disappeared into a crowd of the rest of the council boys moments later. She was relieved to see him go, and wondered if he was suspicious. She hoped he wouldn't say anything.

Amber studied the man as he spoke to a stagehand, moving his hands wildly to elaborate a point he was making. She felt the blush rise into her cheeks, and tried to push it back down. Amber Von Tussle wasn't supposed to get these feelings. Not the ones of vulnerability and insecurity. She was supposed to hug you in front of the cameras and stab you in the back as soon as you went off-air.

It wasn't that she was in love with Corny. Even she knew that at 17, she was too young to make such rash decisions. It was more of an undeniable attraction she felt for him. It was more than a crush; that was for sure. It was something that kept her awake at night, and filled her dreams when she did manage to sleep. It was something that she couldn't tell another living soul. She couldn't even bear to think of the consequences that would await her if her secret was made public. Corny would be humiliated. He'd never look at her again.

As if on cue, she looked his way again, and this time, he saw her. For just a moment, their eyes locked, and the world around them faded. He looked like he might say something, and then turned away, the heels of his dress shoes clicking as he made his way back to his dressing room.

Something in her stomach fell, and she wanted to kick herself. She hated the way she felt about him, and knew that if anyone found out, they'd accuse her of screwing him to win Miss Teenage Hairspray. But she hadn't screwed him, and the thought of them comparing her to the person her mother was made her ill. She was the first to admit that her thoughts for Corny weren't completely pure, but she knew he had had morals enough not to sleep with someone for such a petty reason. Anyway, she liked to think that if they ever did end up together, she'd have earned it, and not traded it for a silly contest.

She suddenly knew what she had to do, and tried to work up her courage as she made her way into the backstage area. Most of the council was already gone, and the rest were preparing to go home. She was glad of that. It would make her task easier. She slipped past the vanity mirrors and into her own personal dressing section. Of course, being the station manager's daughter had its privileges. She looked into the mirror, and groomed herself appropriately. If there was one thing her mother had taught her, it was to always look your best. Even in the middle of the night, Velma Von Tussle wore make-up and curlers in her long, golden hair, and Amber believed that beauty could take you far in life. People always underestimated beautiful women, and that was always good when you were planning to take someone by storm.

The walk to his dressing room seemed like it took hours, when, in actuality, it was mere seconds from her own. She stood in front of the door, glancing nervously around before knocking. If someone walked down this hallway right now and saw her, that would be it. Her heart started to race. What if her mother was inside talking to Corny? What if she turned the corner at this exact second and saw her-

The door swung open, and he stood on the other side, his face flushed when he saw her.

"Uh, Amber, what are you doing here?" She thought she heard his voice crack, and his tongue darted out to moisten his lips. She tried to stand still, and remember everything her mother had taught her about seducing a man. Of course, Velma had never expected her to use this skill on Corny Collins.

"Um…" she tried to sound mature, and adult-like, but she realized how childish her own voice sounded. She felt like a little girl that had lost her mother in a department store. She had no idea where to go from here. She almost panicked, and then looked up at his face. "Can I come in?" It was all she could manage to say, and he stepped aside just enough for her to come inside.

"Do you need something?" He pulled on the lapels of his suit, hoping that he sounded more in control than he felt right now. He glanced nervously out the door, making sure not to close it once she was inside. He wouldn't be able to take the allegations Velma would accuse him of if she found her daughter inside his dressing room with the door closed. She'd have him killed. Or worse.

"I just…" she tried to keep her voice steady, like her mother had always taught her. _Arch your back, puff your chest out; never let your guard down_. That was a lot easier said than done, especially when you were standing directly in front of the man who made you feel like you were melting. She decided to try again. "Corny, I just…" She lost her nerve. What was she going to say? That she just wanted to let him know she found him attractive? That she couldn't stop thinking about him? God, she was just a kid to him. He probably thought of her like an annoying little sister. What was she expecting to happen?

"Are you okay?" It was the concerned look on his face that made her decide to do it at that exact moment. In a split second, she grabbed onto his collar and pulled him to her, their lips meeting in an instant that sent sparks up her spine. Before either of them knew what was happening, she was kissing him harder than she'd ever done before. She had kissed quite a few boys her own age, but they had been sloppy and immature about what to do with their tongues, and where to put their hands. He seemed to melt into her, and she felt herself pushing harder against him, desperate to get as close to him as humanly possible for just the briefest moment in time. She wanted to taste more of him, but then his hands found hers, and while she kissed him, he worked his hands off of his shirt. Their fingers entwined, even if just for the shortest second, and then he pushed her away, their breath coming in short gasps as they stared at each other.

"Amber, we can't….we can't do this. This isn't right. I could get into a lot of trouble for this."

They both heard the words, but neither believed them. She smiled at him, and he studied her pretty face. The fact that he had used the word "we" wasn't lost on her. She was finding her strength quickly, and no longer felt like the shy child who had entered the room.

"You can't get into trouble if no one finds out," even saying the words, she felt deliciously scandalous. "I'm good at keeping secrets, Corny. We both are."

She kissed him again, slipping behind the door so that anyone who may walk by wouldn't be able to see them inside. This time, he didn't pull away from the kiss.


End file.
